RSVP receives CNCS grant

Morehead State's Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) was recently awarded a federal grant for $125,000 to expand the program's efforts to combat childhood obesity and the opioid epidemic.  

The grant was provided by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and funds a three-year project aimed at combating childhood obesity and opioid abuse education and prevention efforts. RSVP is starting its second year of the program. 

Teresa Judd, RSVP director, said the funds will be used for training and placement of 100 volunteers in the FIVCO Area Development District, which includes Boyd, Carter, Elliott, Lawrence and Greenup counties.  

To combat childhood obesity, RSVP volunteers will work to improve access to nutritious foods by working in food banks and pantries. For the opioid education and prevention component, volunteers will be placed in elementary and middle schools, where they will tutor students and assist in administering evidence-based substance abuse prevention programs. RSVP will train the volunteers and provide them with the tools they need to help administer the curriculum.  

"The extra attention RSVP volunteers are able to provide a child can make a huge impact on the child’s education," Judd said. "Evidence-based substance abuse prevention programs allow children to learn about making better life choices, as well as provide them with different refusal strategies for avoiding drugs and alcohol. RSVP volunteers receive the satisfaction of knowing they are making a difference in people’s lives whether tutoring a child, helping in a food pantry or helping with a substance abuse program." 

For more information, call 606-783-5125 or email RSVP Associate Director Justin Slone at jlslone@moreheadstate.edu. Additional information about MSU's RSVP program is available at www.moreheadstate.edu/rsvp.